Expanding Research on Political Institutions and Conflict
Political scientist Ursula Daxecker appointed to the MPI for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
Political scientist Ursula Daxecker has been appointed Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen. Her appointment marks a continuation of the Institute's strategic reorientation by the Max Planck Society.
Following the appointment of sociologist Steffen Mau in October 2025, the Institute's research now increasingly focuses on issues of political violence, democratic backsliding, and the role of political institutions in the peaceful resolution of conflicts. With three director positions in total, the Göttingen site aims to establish an internationally visible hub for social science research.
Mau welcomes the appointment: "I am very pleased about the appointment of Ursula Daxecker. Her work focuses on political conflicts, the mediating role of institutions, and the challenges facing democracy. She also brings a research orientation focused on the Global South, thus strengthening the Institute's positioning in central fields of political and social science."
Political Institutions and Conflict
Ursula Daxecker will assume her position on January 1, 2026 (initially part-time until September 1, 2026). Her department examines the relationship between political institutions and conflict in a broad sense. Conflicts are a central component of political processes. Daxecker's research investigates the conditions under which institutions contribute to peaceful conflict resolution – or exacerbate conflict dynamics – and conversely, how conflicts can strengthen or undermine institutional orders.
A key focus lies on the emergence of social grievances in contemporary democracies and their conflict-prone consequences, such as the rise of extremist and violent strategies among political parties and their supporters. The department also analyzes the short- and long-term consequences of political violence for democratic processes. This research addresses central challenges of our time, including the erosion of democratic institutions worldwide—in the Global North as well as the Global South—and ongoing armed conflicts and political violence.
Ursula Daxecker is currently Full Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam, where she will continue to hold a part-time professorship. She is among the world's leading scholars in the field of political violence in democracies. Her research combines advanced quantitative methods – such as survey- and observational-based causal inference designs – with qualitative approaches including fieldwork and interviews. She utilizes large, computationally collected datasets to develop evidence-based insights with high societal and political relevance.
The appointment for the third director position is expected to be finalized soon. MPG President Patrick Cramer is in discussions with another distinguished candidate.
